Improvement in bee-hives



moth and miller trap.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

CALEB E. BOST, OF DAVIDSONv COLLEGE, NORTH OAROLlNA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,273," dated April 18, 1876; application filed February 8, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB E. BOST, of Davidson College, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Bee-Hive; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a vertical section throughlinezr m Fig. 3, a plan view with the cover removed.

My invention relates to an improved construction of bee-hives, designed to give greater security to the bees from the attacks ofmoths and millers, and which shall be more convenient in handling, and better adapted to promote the healthandprosperity of the bees in all seasons. Itconsists in the construction "and arrangement of the entranee'to the hive for keeping out moths and millers, 'and in a supplemental upper section for the hive, which can be taken off or placed on, as and for the purpose hereinafter described.

In the drawing, A represents the body of the hive, supported upon legs B, which extend over and cover the seams formed near the corners of the hive. O is the bottom of the hive, which extends horizontally across the same, leaving a space, a, for the bees to enter. The body of the hive is extended upon one side below the bottom 0, and an inclined board, D, is placedthereunder for the bees to light upon, which, with the door E in. front, constitutes a triangular chamber, forming a The door E extends nearly to the inclined board D, leaving a sufficient space, I), for the entrance of the bees. The said door is hinged at the top to the body of the hive, and may be lifted to give admis sion to the bee-keepers hand into the moth and miller trap. F is a down\vardly-project- 'ing board, which both supports one end of the bottom of the hive, and at the same time operates as a screen to the entrance at, to more effectually exclude troublesome foreign insects. .G are the honey-frames, which are made about twelve totwelve and onehalf inches deep and supported and held in place by the notched bar H and guides I, with about half an inch space all around. J is the supplemental section of the hive, which is of the same transverse dimensions as the hive itself, and is provided with guideways I for its smaller set of honey-frames G, which are about eight inches deep. Said supplemental section is provided upon all four sides with boards 0, extending over its lower edge, which fit over the top of the hive proper to form a secure lap-joint for the two parts, the legs B being cut away at the top to accommodate said joint. K is the cover of the hive, whichis made with a rim, d, that exactly fits either the upper end of hive A'or the upper end oi the section J.

The advantages of this construction are it the arrangement of the hives for winter-quar ters.

At the end of the honeyseason, which w1. be about the time killing frosts appear, I re move the surplus honey, and lift off the core and the supplemental section, and lit tlr. cover upon the lower section or the hive proper This arrangement prevents freezing out o dying from cold while in winter-quarters, be cause, unlike most hives, there is noempt space above to admit of the natural heat of the bees passing 011' above, thus leaving the colony to perish with cold. v

Among its ot er advantages, also, may be mentioned its superior cleanliness, and its facilities for ventilation, the frames only touching the hive at its corners.

1n arranging the frames in the hive the beekeeper can use his discretion as to the number of frames to be used, always. employing, however, an odd number, as in that arrangement young queens only appear in the single central comb. w

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is l. The detachable supplemental section J of the same transverse dimensions of the hire, and having a lap joint to connect therewith, in combination with the hiveA and the cover K, provided with rim d, and adapted to fit either upon and form the top of the supplemental section J or the hive proper, as described.

2. The hive A, having extended sides, and a horizontal bottom, O,'with opening a, in comhination with the pendent projection F, and the inclined lighting-board D, substantially as and for the purpose described.

OALEB E. BOST. Witnesses:

Jornv N. THOMPSON, WALLACE A. BLACK. 

